Base attachment for pocket seal presses



May1s,1937. C. PRIESMEYER 2,080,985'lr BASE ATTACHMENT FOR POCKET SEAL'. PRESSES A Filed Feb. 16, 1937 atentecl- May I8, 12955;?

UNiTED STATES BASE ATTACHMENT Fon' POCKET SEAL PRESSES Charles Priesmeyer, Park Ridge, Ill., assigner to Gustav A. J. Meyer, Chicago, Ill.

Application Februaryrl, 1937, Serial No. 126,028

19 Claims.

My invention relatesto seal-presses'and in its general objects aims to provide a base-forming attachment which can readily be aiiixed to a hand-held (or socalled pocket) type of seal press so as to have the resulting assembly constitute a rigid seal-press of the stand type.

Heretofore, seal-presses for use by notaries have commonly been of two considerably different types, one being a stand type in which the lower of the two co-operating dies is supported by a heavy cast-ironbody part adapted to seat on a table, thereby enabling the user to exert an adequate downward pressure on the actuating lever for obtaining clear impressions on heavy paper, or on a plurality of superposed thinner sheets. The other is the pocket type in which the main or frame part of the body of the press can be formed of sheet metal, thus allowing the complete sealpress to be so light that it can readily be held in the hand of the user during the impressing of the seal, and also permitting the press tobe carried in. the nctarys coat pocket when he is called away from his oice to notarize documents.

Since the bottom of the body part of suchv a pocket type seal-press desirably presents a semicylindncal lower surface, so as to be comfortably grasped manually during the making of an impression, such a pocket seal press will not seat suiciently firmly on a table to permit the user to employ a greater pressure than he can exert when the press is held in his hand.

Owing to the above differences in the two common types of seal presses, both the seal-press manufacturer and his dealers have heretofore been obliged to carry a stock of both types for promptly meeting the requirements of various customers, and the dealers in particular have found it difficult to predict the relative rate at which the two types will be wanted. Consequently, both the seal-press manufacturer andV also the dealers have required an undesirably large total investment in seal-presses for promptly attending to orders for both types.

My present invention aims to reduce the investment thus required, as well as the space needed for an adequate stock of seal-presses, by providing an auxiliary unit which can readily be attached to the lower frontal part of a pocket sealpress to form a base which will underlie the lower die of the press for transmitting the downward pressure on that die to a table on which the auxiliary unit is seated, thus making the assemblage constitute a seal-press of the stand type. Furthermore, my invention aims to provide an auxilary unit for this purpose which will dispose the lower face of the attached unit in the same plane with the bottom of the rear end portion of the frame of the press, thereby enhancing the stabilityc the assembly (during its use) even when the attached unit has a comparatively small base area.

In addition, my invention aims to provide a base-forming attachment for a pocket type sealpress which will be so small as not to interfere with a hand-held use of the seal press when the attachment is on it, which will add relatively little to the weight of the press to which it is attached, and which will still allow the press with this attachment on it to be carried in a mans pocket. So also my invention aims to construct the baseforming attachment so that it can readily be attached to, or detached from a pocket type sealpress without the use of tools; and so that the attached unit will not shift out of its aixed position during the use of the thus constructed stand type of press.

Illustrative of the manner in which I accomplish the above objects,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a pocket type sealpress for whichv my attachment is adapted, with the major portion of the actuating lever broken away.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. A

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the rear end portion of the same press.

Fig. 4 is any enlarged perspective View of an attachment embodying my invention.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the pocket type seal-press of Fig. 1 as it appears when the attachment of Fig'. 4 has been affixed to it, including a portion of a table top onwhich the thus assembled stand type of press is seated. ,Y

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transversevertical section taken along the axis of my attachment, namely along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. l

Fig. 7 is a similarly enlarged vertical section taken along the same axis at right angles to the section of Fig.r 6, namely along the line 'l-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan section taken alongthe line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a section allied to Fig; 7 but taken during the afllxing of my attachmentto the pocket type press.

Fig. 10 is a plan View of the blank from which the trough part of my illustrated base-forming attachment is formed, drawnon the saine scale as Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive.

In the drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 show a pocket sealpress in which the body or frame of the press is formed by bending a sheet metal blank to a U-section presenting parallel upright sides i and 2 connected by a downwardly convexed and generally semi-tubular-cylindrical bottom portion 3, the forward portions of the said two sides being forked so as to afford forwardly open recesses which present their lower edges 4 in a common horizontal plane. These recesses afford access both to a counterplate 5 which is seated on the raid lower edges 4 and carries the counterdie E, and to he upper die-carried 1, the latter being movable ii the usual manner, as for example by the mechanism shown in the Gustav A. J. Meyer patent #1,512,476, for depressing the upper diecarrier through the action of a lever 8 pivoted between the forward upper portions of the body sides I and 2.

In the illustrated embodiment, the casing of my attachment is a shallow upright can having an upright tubular riser wall 9 of somewhat greater height than the verticalspacing H (Fig. 9) between the bottom of the lower counterplate 5 and the lower edge of the semi-tubular body part 3, and having a flat bottom 9a at right angles to the tubular Wall of the said shallow can. The riser wall 9 is provided at its rearward side with a U-shaped recess I opening upwardly and corresponding in width to the exterior of the portion of the press frame which is below the said counterplate, but desirably somewhat taller than the lower forward part 3a of the press body which is below the said edges 4.

Supported within the interior this can-like body part of my attachment is a trough I I which has its axis in the same vertical plane (diametric of the said body) with the axis of the recess I0, namely in the plane along which the section of Fig. 7 was taken through Fig. 6. The end of thisJ trough adjacent to the forward side of the said attachment body part (namely the side diametrically opposite the said recess) is fastened to this body part, as for example by a rivet IIb extending through a tab or trough end lia, the complete trough being desirably formed from a resilient bronze punching (shown in Fig. 10) by bending the said tab along the dotted bend line B and curving the remaining portion of the blank to a trough shape.

The just described trough desirably does not extend rearwardly as far as the side of the canlike attachment body in which the recess I0 is formed, and the free end of the trough preferably is contracted as shown at I la .in Figs. 7 and 8, so that the forward end of the press body part can readily be inserted slidably through the said recess I0 and under the free end of the trough, as shown in Fig. 9.

Moreover, the trough preferably is formed (as for example by having it normally slope 'downwardly toward the said recess, as in Fig. 9) so that a sliding of the press body part toward the left from its position in Fig. 9 will cause the bottom of this body part to lift the trough against the resiliency of the connection of that trough (through its tab Ila) to the attachment body, since the slidable seating of the bottom of the counterplate will not allow the said press body part to be lowered within the can-like body of the attachment. Consequently, the said resiliency resists the slidable aftixing of my attachmentv to the lower frontal (semi-tubular) part 3a of the press body to an increasing extent while the said body part is slid forwardly under the counterplate of the press until the sliding is halted by the engagement of the forward end of this body part 3a with the bore of the attachment body at the opposite side of the attachment body from the recess I0.

By suitably proportioning the parts of my attachment and also forming the trough of suitably resilient metal, I thus can readily construct my attachment so that it can be affixed manually to the press, and likewise can be detached manually if desired.

Moreover, I preferably make the shallow canlike body of my attachment of such a diameter that the above described slidable aflixing of this attachment to the pocket type press will be halted (in the also described manner) when the vertical axis A of the body of my attachment alines with the axis of the counterplate 5, as shown in Fig. 5. When so proportioned, a use of the thus assembled stand type press will cause the actuating pressure to be exerted downward axially of the attachment, without having any tendency toward sliding the attachment off the press body, so that the assembly remains operatively rigid during its prolonged use.

To make the assembly of rmy attachment with a pocket press still more stable, I also preferably proportion my attachment so that (in the resulting assembly) the lower face of the bottom 9a of the body of my attachment will be in the same plane with the rear end portion 3b of the lower part of the press body, which rear end portion may be flattened as sho-Wn in Fig. 3. With the just described propcrtioning, both the said rear press body end of the press and the bottom of my attachment will simultaneously seat on the top of a table T, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby affording such arm supporting of my heretofore described assemblage as to permit an effective use of considerably larger dies than those with which a pocket type of a given size could be employed in a hand-held manner.

In practice, I have found that my complete attachment can effectively be considerably smaller in exterior diameter thanthe counter of that such an attachment need not weigh morek than about one-tenth as much as the pocketpress which it is to fit. Consequently, a pocket press tted with my base-forming attachment can still be carried in a notarys pocket.

Moreover, the small size and weight as Well as the simplicity of my base-forming attachment make its total manufacturing cost so low, in proportion to that of the pocket press to which it is to be fitted, that the resulting combination can be sold at a much lower price than the heretofore commercial stand presses. Consequently, my here illustrated base-equipped pocket press is well within the purchasing power of a great many who would like to profit by the advantages of a stand type of press but who could not afford to pay. the price necessitated by the massive construction of the long commercial stand type seal presses.

However, while I have heretofore described my invention in connection with an embodiment including numerous desirable details suitable for a base attachment fitting -a particular type of pocket press, many changes might be made without departing either from the spirit of my invention or from the appended claims.

Fundamentally, it will be obvious that my here presented attachment comprises a base-aording attachment body part for receiving the lower forward portion of a pocket seal press, and means In line with this broad` aspect of my invenf tion, my attachment may be constructed for latchingthe lower forward body part with such a moderate grip that the attachment can readily be afXed or detached manually, thereby enabling the buyer to use the pocket press selectively either manually or as a stand press. Or, the latching provision may be constructed, as by using a thicker and less resilient punching for the illustrated trough, so that a mere manual pull would not suice for removing my attachment from a press to which it has been forcibly afxed, so that the combination more permanently forms an appliance suitable for continuous use `as a stand press. 1

However, since my here presented attachment is particularly desirable for allowing a pocket seal press to be used selectively also as a stand or socalled lever press, I preferably provide only a moderate resiliency in association with the latching provision. 'Ihen I provide the trough H and the press body part which houses this trough with interengaging formations which will prevent a sliding of my attachment with respect to the pocket press even if the resilient part of the trough gradually weakens in its stiffness. For this latter purpose, Figs. '7 to 9 show the bottom of the trough as having an upwardly indented nub I lc which is entered by a similarly indented boss 3c on the bottom of the lower forward portion ofthe body of the press. y

I claim as my invention:

1. A base-affording attachment for a pocket type seal press` which includes a counter seated upon and projecting laterally beyond both sides of a U-sectioned lower frontal portion of the body of the press, comprising: a base member including opposed riser parts of a uniform height greater than that of the said press body portion, the said riser parts being horizontally spaced by a distance not less than the spreadA of the said body portion, so that the said body portion can be slid forwardly between the said riser parts to cause the counter of the press to slide upon the upper edges of these riser parts; and clamping means associated with the base member and disposed for pressing downwardly against the interior of the said U-sectional frontal portion of the press to clamp the counter of the press downward upon the said riser parts of the said base member.

2. A base-affording attachment for a-pocket seal press, as per claim 1, in which the clamping means have a portion thereof engaging both of the inner faces of the U-shanks of the said press body part to prevent a shifting of the press with respect to the said base member.

3. A base-affording attachment for a pocket seal press, as per claim l, in which the clamping means have a portion thereof engaging both of the inner faces of the U-shanks of the said press body part, the said portion of the clamping means having its longitudinal aXis in a vertical plane medial of the said base member; and in which the base member has riser parts disposed for engaging the outer faces of the U-shanks of the said press body portion to co-operate with the said portionof the clamping means in alining the attachment with the press body.

4. A base-aording attachment for a pocket seal press, as per claim 1, in which the base member has an operatively flat and circular lower face, and in which that member has a part thereof adaptedto engage the front end of the said press body portion to halt the said sliding when said vbase has its axis substantially in alinement with that of the counter of theV press.

5. The combination with a pocket seal-press 'having a frame, the lower frontal part of which is' of a U-section presenting the upper edges of part of the press extends forwardly into the Ain- Y -terior of -the said base-member, and presser means supported within the said base member'and pressing downwardly on the interior of the -said lower frontal lframe vpart' of the press so as tohold the said-counter seated on the said upper edges of the lower frontal part of thel frame of the press.

6. -A combination as' per claim 5, in which 'the saidrecess corresponds substantially to the exterior cross-section 'of the said forward lower part of the press frame, so that the said frame part of recess and'under the'laterally projecting lower face parts of the said counter, and inwhich the said presser means co-operate withfthe said recess for holding the press frame with the longitudinal medial plane thereof in a vertical plane along the axis of the said counter.

'7. A combination as per claim 5, in which the said recess corresponds substantially to the ex terior cross-section of the said forward lower part of the press frame, so that the said part can be slid forwardly through the said recess and under the laterally projecting lower face parts of the said counter, and in which the said base member is of such diameter that the inner face of the forward part of the riser wall of that base will be engaged by forward end of the said lower frontal frame part when the said base member and counter have a common verticalI axis.

8. A combination as per claim 5, in whichV the said recess is of a U-section having its upper side portions spaced by a distance approximating, but not greater than, the spacing of the outer faces of the upper portions of the U-shanks of the said lower frontal frame part of the press; and in which the maximum depth of the said recess is at least as large as the medial height of the said frame portion.

9. A combination as per claim 5, in which the presser means comprise a trough spaced upwardly from theV bottom of the said can-like base, the trough having its medial plane in common Vthe press can be slid forwardly through the said with a vertical plane, which plane is diametricof the said base member and medial of the said recess.

l0. A combination as per claim 5, in which the presser means comprise a trough resiliently supported by the said base member and having its medial plane in common with a vertical plane which is diametric of the said'base'member and medial of the said recess, the said trough being biased for normally sloping downward toward the said recess; the trough being of sufcient lateral spread to engage the interior of the said lower vertical plane diametric of the said base member and medial of the said recess, and a supporting .element fastened to the said base member and adjoined to the forward end of the presser element by a resilient connection continuously tending to cause the said presser element to slope downward toward the said recess in the base member.

12. A combination as per claim 5, in which the said base member has a flat bottom parallel to the common plane of the upper edges of the U-shanks of the said lower frontal part of the frame of the press.

13. A combination as per claim 5, in which the rear end of the body of the press has its lower face in the same plane with the lower face of the bottom of the said can-like base member.

14. In combination, a pocket seal-press including a body having a lower frontal part of uniform U-section, also including a lower die member seated on and having parts thereof projecting laterally in relatively opposite directions beyond the upper edges of the U-shank portions of the said lower press body part; and a baseforming attachment comprising: a base member having an effectively flat bottom and including riser portions spaced for upward engagement with parts of the lower die kmember at opposite sides of the said lower press body part, the said riser portions being of a uniform height greater than the height of the said press body part; and a clamping member yieldingly supported within ther said base member, and extending rearwardly into the interior of the said press body part, for pressing downwardly agiainst that press-body part so as to clamp the said projecting parts of the lower die member downward upon the said movement of the said base member with respect to the press body, the said relatively interengageable portions being disposed for interlocking when the said die member and base member have their axes substantially coincident.

16. A combination as per claim 14, in which the lower part of the press body has the lower face of its rear end at lower elevation than the lower edge of the said U-sectioned part of the press body, and in which the base member is of such a height that it supports the press with the said lower face of the rear end of the press body disposed in a common plane with the effectively flat bottom of the said base member.

17. A combination as per claim 5, in which the said presser means and the said U-sectioned press body part have releasably interengaging formations disposed for interlocking when the said canlike base member has its axis substantially coincident with that of the counter of the press.

18. In combination, a pocket seal-press including a U-sectioned body having a recess extending rearwardly into it, and including a counter seated on the lower recess edges in the two sides of the body; a base member into which the frontal part of the press body is insertable by a forward sliding of the said frontal press body part through the recess into the base member; the base member having portions disposed at opposite sides of the said frontal press body part, and the said counter being seated on the said portions of the base member; and clamping means housed by the base member, and operatively interposed between the base member and the said press body part, for pressing the counter down onthe said portions of the base member for clamping the press firmly to the base member.

19. A combination as per claim 18, including means yieldingly latching the press body against rearward movement with respect to the base member, the last named means being disposed for effecting the said latching when the vertical axes of the counter and the base member are substantially coincident.

CHARLES PRIESMEYER. 

